Celtic told to break transfer record to sign Scotland star

Cameron Smith

13 Apr 2026 13:00 CDT
3 min read

Celtic have sent scouts to watch Scotland international Scott McKenna in action for Dinamo Zagreb in recent weeks as they eye a possible summer swoop for the centre-back.

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McKenna, 29, moved to Dinamo Zagreb from Spanish side Las Palmas last summer and he has played an integral role for the club as they look set to reclaim the Croatian top flight title after losing out to Rijeka via their head-to-head record last season.

The Scotland defender has made 37 appearances across all competitions since his arrival at Dinamo, scoring twice, and his form has attracted the attention of the Celtic hierarchy, who have sent scouts to watch him live in action recently.

That is according to The Daily Record, who claim that clubs in England are also keeping tabs on the former Nottingham Forest star ahead of a potential move during the upcoming summer transfer window.

However, Celtic will likely be required to make McKenna their third-most expensive signing of all time and the priciest defender to ever join the club if they want to land his signature this summer.

© IMAGO - Scott McKenna in action for Scotland

Scott McKenna to Celtic transfer update

Interest in McKenna’s services has increased over the past few months and Dinamo chief scout Tomislav Sokota recently admitted (via The Daily Record): "It's not just speculation about Scott McKenna, there are serious offers. We are talking about £10 million (€11.5m) here.”

If a fee of €11.5m is needed to land McKenna, he would usurp Christopher Julien as the most expensive defender to join Celtic, while he would only be behind Jota and Arne Engels on the club’s all-time list of biggest fees paid for a player.

Celtic are understood to be in the market for a new centre-back and McKenna has been earmarked as a potential solution, despite the fact that Stephen Welsh could return to the Glasgow giants following his loan spell at Motherwell.

Celtic are also expected to sign a new centre forward this summer, with the club identifying several options across the English Football League, including Plymouth Argyle duo Lorent Tolaj and Bim Pepple.

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